Women Reaching Out to Help Others

2013 ATHENA Leadership Award®

Feb. 27, 2014

Jennie Johnson / Richard Shiro/Contributor

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The ATHENA Leadership Award® honors individuals who assist women in reaching their full leadership potential; demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; and, provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.

Jennie Johnson delights in seeing young women achieve their dreams. She feels that her generation has a responsibility to help them do just that.

“It’s important to me because I think that’s the only way you move the needle — women helping other women,” she said.

Johnson serves as executive director of Liberty Fellowship, has served as chair of Greenville Technical College and Greenville Humane Society, and on the boards of The Peace Center, the Warehouse Theatre, Centre Stage, Leadership Greenville, the Greenville and South Carolina chambers of commerce, the South Carolina Research Authority, and more.

Johnson said times have changed, but there is still much to do.

“I saw a different time period in my life in terms of women’s roles,” she said.

Young women entering the workforce today have a different perspective, she said.

“They are much more confident,” Johnson said. “They have more opportunities and they are excited about those opportunities.”

In her role at Liberty Fellowship, Johnson said she is able to work closely with men and women who will play a vital role in the community.

“I have an opportunity to work with all of our fellows, who are typically a generation younger than I am,” she said. “My opportunities to mentor women have come through my career, but now through the opportunity to work with men and women with Liberty Fellowship.”

Johnson points to Greenville as a city that is welcoming to all who want a seat at the table.

“I think Greenville is a particularly good place for women,” she said.

Through her own service to the community, Johnson models the roles women can take and she uses her service to help advance the opportunities women can have.

“I’ve never not been on a board in my almost 30 years in Greenville,” she said. “I think that’s part of the give back. I think it’s important to help others. Lots of people helped me along the way. Greenville offers a wonderful opportunity for young women to step up and play a very active role in the community. I see no reason why they shouldn’t — and they are doing that. Women bring a different perspective. Its’ a great time to be a woman, it really is, but part of that is giving back and helping other women.”